Random Thoughts While Cramming for Aiden's Exams

I've said this once and I'll say it again - I think the standard of public education in Malaysia is tough on kids. It is hard enough that Aiden's Bahasa Malaysia literacy is still below par, but what is it about giving crazy Mathematic sums to an 8-year old??? Does Malaysia really think that by making the syllabus harder, we will produce cleverer kids?

Anyway, Aiden is having his last day of exams tomorrow. His last paper is Pendidikan Islam, and I am not proud to admit that I usually leave the coaching of that subject for Hubby. (Hey, this mother has bent over backwards for the core subjects i.e. Malay, English, Maths and Science!) So for today, I can breath normally - hence why I am blogging at this hour.

I'd just like to share some random thoughts that came to mind while I was teaching Aiden for his core subjects:

• For BM: What's with the diftong, digraf and such? I don't remember learning it during school! I actually had to google what it meant... and if one had to google it, it meant that one never had to use it when one was older!
• For BM: Muram, simpati, mendung, bangkit, muara, rumpai,sulam, cuai, nyiur, maklumat, skital,segak, lekuk, sajian, perpaduan. Here are some of the words in his Tahun 2 workbook... bombastic enough for Aiden to leave him absolutely clueless. *sigh*
• For Science: What's the benefit of having to remember which jari is used for typing which alphabet on the keyboard? I am a single finger typer, and proud of it! My typing skills and speed can rival most conventional keyboard loving folks too!
• For Maths: I don't remember doing these complicated sums when I was 8. Probably when I was 10. I'll give you an example: A sold 1 bag. B sold 2 bags more than A. C sold 3 bags more than B. Okay, you must be thinking... the question is probably, how many bags did C sell? No! The question was, what is the difference of bags sold between A and C! Oh, replace the numbers with ratus numbers, and replace the English words to Malay. That was the question. #ipulledmyhairsohardthatnight
• For Maths: I see darab coming up!!! Didn't we do this when we were in Standard 4 or something??? OMG OMG OMG #pullshairevenharder
• For English... Hmmm... I actually have no qualms with English. Probably because it is too easy for Aiden's level. That is the problem with coming out of an English medium kindergarten. It simply doesn't correspond to the level of English syllabus at Sekolah Kebangsaan! The latter is super easy if compared to his kindy classmates who has moved on to international school.

Anyway, as a reward for completing his exams, I decided to allow Aiden to inherit my Enid Blyton books. Rummaged through my bookshelves, and guess what I found???

This book is 25 years old! *chuckles* I am such a hoarder!

P.S: Since I'm reminiscing about childhood memories, who else is frustrated about the Beauty and the Beast ban in Malaysia? I am so frustrated, that I am contemplating watching it in Singapore with the kids, since I will be there again for a business trip next week. *sigh* Disney and the Malaysia censorship board... please come to your senses!

No Rice!!!

(No, this post is soooo not about me. I am such a rice person, as is Aiden. In contrary, this post is about Ian!)

Can you believe that Ian has never had rice, ever.. in his life! He hates rice... We've had pretty viscous struggles with rice, but he still wins every time. (Imagine me holding him down and forcing him a spoonful of rice!) Even if I hide the rice, he would manage to 'filter' it in his mouth and spit it out. In the end, I gave up. Also, typical second child syndrome, I wasn't too particularly worried about his lack of interest in food. (Kalau Aiden dulu, when he went through the same phase, I brought him to the pediatrician and bought toddler recipe books just to entice him to eat!) 

So for the longest time, Ian survived on fries, Oreos/Chipsmore, roti canai and milk! He was constantly asking for milk. He didn't gain weight and was able to fit into his 2 year old clothes. However, since we came back from Ipoh (and all those hours I spent feeding him at the hotel breakfast buffet!!), I noticed that Ian is starting to gain weight! His cheeks are chubbier and his thighs are fun to squeeze! Macam chicken drumsticks! *giggles*

A photo of Ian in his "solat baju"... posing at the Ipoh hotel parking. Check out the cheeks!

He still hates rice guts, but at least he is now open to a more elaborate choice of food. Here is what he's into nowadays, other than his staple fries, roti canai, cookies and milk: 

French toast

Pancakes with maple syrup

Pappa Rich's thick toast with susu

Cereal with milk

Cream crackers cicah Milo

Macaroni and cheese

Keropok and papadom 

Any type of cakes

Macaron shells

Karipap, albeit only the sides 

Roti canai and roti tisu

Still picky, tapi boleh laaaaa. Don't know when he'll start eating rice, but I hope it's soon!

What are we going to do with that hair???

Since I'm already sharing about Ian's milestone meal antics, let me share a few snippets about Ian that made us laugh:

Me: Ian, where is your school?
Ian: Ekbebek (at the back)

Me: Do you want to go to school?
Ian: Yes... Kids!
Me: Real Kids?
Ian: Yes! I want to bring talet (tablet)...
Me: No... you can't bring your tablet! But you can bring your lunch box and water bottle.
Ian: Ok!

(While listening to the radio in the car)
Ian: Mummy, I want my song!
Me: *confused* What's your song?
Ian: Noh noh noh!
Me: Oooooo...(Maroon 5 - Don't Wanna Know)
Aiden: Oh, my favourite song is "Once I was seven years old..."
Me: Oooooo...(Lukas Graham - 7 Years)

Pelat words:
Delu = blue
Fivi = TV

That's all for now. Thanks for reading!

Back In The Office

Hi peeps!

It is my first week back at the office.. and I am swamped with emails!

I spent my first day waddling through my inbox, and it was a nasty surprise for me to find a couple of work related emails asking me why I wasn't responding. Unfortunately due to my abrupt leave, my regional nature of work, andddd the absence of an out of office reply, not everyone knew that I was on emergency plus compassionate leave. Apparently only the local team, a few select colleagues and of course my boss in Houston were aware. *sigh*

I spent that morning sending apologetic emails whilst trying to recover with work so that everyone could get back on track. I left the office way way way past my normal time that day - sampai lampu office automatically terpadam at one point, which I took as a sign that it was time to leave! But Alhamdulillah, once I explained to everyone why I was away, they were very understanding. Risau jugak that my working relationship with my colleagues would be affected due to this.

Also, I am grateful that it is bonus month. This year's bonus is significantly less than last year, but at least ada daripada takde. Some companies are not even giving bonuses this year. Unfortunately the bonus portion that I usually segregate for handbags and such, dah habis untuk bayar my father's hospital bills and our extended stay in several hotels in Ipoh. Takpelah... I look at it as my last contribution to my father. After this I wouldn't be contributing anymore to him. In fact, I don't even know whether I will return to Ipoh anytime soon. There isn't anything anymore there for me.

Kids are recovering from their nomadic lifestyle. They enjoyed the Ipoh trip very much... Ian siap ade withdrawal period as soon as we arrived home. He kept saying, "I want hotel...." Huhu Ian, you think Mummy chop duit issit??? Aiden on the other hand is now struggling with his backlog of homework. Next week is exam week and I have been quite the tiger mum these past few nights!

Emotionally, I am doing alright. As I said, I have never been close to my father hence as soon as we arrived home it felt as if nothing had changed. In fact, as soon as I got into town, I went to Ikea for a shopping spree. (Hey, shopping is therapeutic!) But I will never forget the traumatic experience leading up to my father's demise. To be part of the decision making process in pulling the plug. I wish that none of you would ever have to be part of such a life and death decision.

Aiden asked me a really hard question the morning we decided to bring my father home. He asked, "Why are you bringing kampung datuk home if you know that he is going to die at home?" 

Tough question to answer to a 7 year old boy...

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I promise to write more. I've got my whole trip to India to blog about too... God knows when that will be!

Hubby's attempt at cheering me up - Aglio Olio with buttered lobster. *yum*

Al-Fatihah

It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that I write to inform you that Papa left us yesterday afternoon at 1:27pm. InsyaAllah, he is in a better place.

After a week in the ICU and so many conflicting messages from the multiple doctors treating him, we finally decided to bring him home. It was a very hard decision for us, but I think it was the right decision to do. 

Just as a slight recap (for the benefit of Aiden and Ian who will be reading this when they are older), the doctor performed a brain EEG on Friday afternoon. The results showed that there was no brain activity. However, the doctor couldn't say for sure whether the results were due to the sedatives he was given a few days before the test, or because he was no longer with us. There was a chance that the sedatives were keeping him in deep sleep because his kidney wasn't performing well. But because of his age, the doctor gave a 90/10 chance that we would not survive; but he also suggested for us to give Papa a chance until at least Monday. 

Clinging to any chance of hope, the siblings suggested for a dialysis to purge Papa's system off the sedatives, so we can know for sure. Kalau tidak, takut ralat and menyesal. 

It was a slow 24 hours dialysis in two blocks of 12 hours. Started at ~10pm on Friday night and scheduled to end on Saturday night. However, that Saturday afternoon, Papa opened his eyes briefly, although his eyes weren't focusing and he was staring into space. Everyone rushed in to mintak ampun maaf. We were so happy, as we thought the dialysis was working and that Papa was coming out of his sleep. 

It turned out to be just a brief moment of joy for us. Saturday night a few hours before his dialysis was due to end, the doctor called for an emergency meeting. Apparently, his BP was dropping, heart was declining and reliance to ventilator was climbing. The doctor wasn't sure whether he would last until Monday. The girls started crying while the boys looked stunned. Collectively as a family, we decided to bring him home the next day. 

The next day we arrived at the hospital and had a last meeting with another doctor. This doctor reaffirmed our decision, as he confirmed that Papa was now relying 100% of life support oxygen and that his lungs dah bengkak. An ambulance was arranged, and we finally brought him home.

Alhamdulillah, it was a swift and peaceful ending. All his wives and kids were surrounding him on the bed, while the nurse removed his life support tube. I was holding on to his left hand when the tube was removed; during the procedure he opened his eyes and he actually pulled his hand back. Allah jer yang tahu betapa sakitnya that was for him. I started crying buckets right after that. We had prepared a standby oxygen tank for him but we didn't need it after all. Just less than 10 minutes after that, he took his last breath. I still remember watching him take his last 3 breathes; during the last breath he slowly closed his eyes and we all knew that he had left us for eternity. 

Hubby joined my stepbrothers untuk mandikan, kapan and solat jenazah. Alhamdulillah, Allah made everything easy for us and Papa selamat dikebumikan selepas Asar semalam. Bernama, Malaysiakini, The Sun Daily, Sinar Harian, NTV9, Astro Awani and Astro radios also covered his demise; you can read about it here: 

Former Tambun MP Yahaya Shafie dies https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/373819

Again, if it is not too much to ask from my readers, may I ask that you recite a prayer for my Papa. Sedekahkan Al-Fatihah and doakan that rohnya ditempatkan dengan orang-orang yang soleh dan beriman. Ampunkan dosanya, lapangkan kuburnya dan jauhinya daripada azab kubur. 

To those yang tak putus-putus mendoakan for him since my last blogpost, from the bottom of my heart - thank you. To those who took the time to offer your condolences to the family by Facebook, Whatsapp, IG messages and such, thank you for grieving with us. Your sincere condolences have warmed our hearts during this period of grief and sorrow.